Old Dominion Signs Point Guard

Old Dominion's basketball program moved Monday to fill a glaring weakness from last season, signing point guard Chuck Evans of College Park, Ga.

Evans, 5-foot-11, averaged 13.4 points and nine assists a game for Banneker High School, which finished 27-3. He chose ODU over Auburn, Tulane and Georgia Southern.

"He's a fast break, up-and-down the floor type player," ODU Coach Tom Young said. "He can really run the fast break well and he hits the open man extremely well. He thinks `pass' first and `shoot' second. He has the mentality, without a doubt, of a point guard."

Evans, who has met all NCAA academic requirements, will be one of two freshman point guards on the Monarchs' roster. Donald Anderson, from Milford (Conn.) Academy, signed with ODU during the fall.

"Anderson is more of a set-up point guard," Young said.

Sophomore Donald Grant and freshman Terrance Jacobs were ODU's primary point guards last season, but neither was consistent.

ODU stumbled upon Evans at midseason, Young said, when it was recruiting forward Chuckie Simms of Stone Mountain, Ga. Simms signed with Auburn.

"The more we see him, the more we like him," Young said. "Our time was definitely well-spent in Atlanta."

Evans is ODU's first signee of the late period, which runs until May 15. The Monarchs have commitments from teammates Reggie Jones (power forward) and Warren Peebles (wing guard) of Richmond's John Marshall High, but neither has met Proposition 48 academic standards.